This invention relates to a connecting device for multiple wire electrical cables and, more particularly, to protected connecting devices for multiple conductor electrical cables used in seismic exploration.
Commonly in seismic exploration work, lengthy electrical cables having multiple conductors must be connected in end-to-end relationship to form a cable array. As the seismic work progresses, a particular multi-conductor cable section may be moved from one end of the cable array and attached to the opposite end of the cable array. This causes a walk-along effect of the cable section along the entire cable array. Each cable section at any given time can be located at any position along the length of the cable array, from the inner positions to the end positions.
Since the seismic exploration is generally conducted in remote regions and out of doors, it is highly desirable to provide protection to the individual cable connectors to maintain their electrical integrity. Therefore, in the prior art, cable connectors having covers over the electrical connecting pins or contact elements thereof have been proposed. Detachable or separable covers for the cable connecting pins become easily lost in the out of doors.
Cable connectors covers which require undue time to place upon or remove from the electrical connectors at the cable ends become a nuisance to operating personnel and are rapidly discarded for that reason. Even when such covers are attached to the cables to prevent loss, e.g. by chains or the like, workers often fail to use the covers and even have been known to cut the chains to permit the covers to be removed and discarded. This can lead to damage to the connecting pins of the cable, e.g. as it is moved through the outdoor terrain being surveyed.
Another problem associated with prior art seismic cables is that they have generally employed so called pin and socket contact type connectors in which the multiple wires or conductors were soldered or wrapped to the electrical contacts. There are two distinct disadvantages with such pin and socket type connectors: for one, the soldering or wire wrapping technique is more time consuming and reliable electrical connections are not always achieved. Additionally, the pin and socket type contacts are much more susceptible to bending and damage thereby reducing the mating cycle of such connection.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cable connector having a protective covering which is convenient to use and the use of which is integral with the operation of the connector.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a seismic cable connector assembly which eliminates individual stripping, positioning and soldering of electrical conductors.